The PF series are anything but neutral. They do emphasize the mids with both ends of the audio spectrum rolled off to a degree. Wouldn't call them reference but rather rich and musical. As such, they sound amazing for jazz, acoustic and vocal genres. They are best used in a very quiet environment as they have zero isolation. The cables are rather thin so I would personally not want to use them during active travelling. They are like a good wine...savored in a quiet place were one can totally appreciate what they do so well. I owned the PF-IX so cannot comment specifically on the VIII but they do share a lot of similarities.
Hey guys.. I have a chance to buy a fad piano forte viii ..however due to the price I'm unsure? It's apparently new for around $650? Is there some telltale signs it may be a knockoff ( I believe the viii besides the lab2 is highly replicated )
I'm also a bit new to fad and to the piano forte... Does the viii have more of a v shape or is it neutral? I listen to a fair amount of metal which I'm unsure if this is the right iem for that genre.. I may lean towards a campfire audio vega or similar.
Do any of you guys use your PF as your go to for home or travel use?
If you going to listen to metal, i will say no it wont match at all. Is on the slow side for driver speed, so if playing metal song can be bit congested?
Forte series is for acoustic. Vega will be far more sutable for metal..
I feel that my E5000 can hold its own against phones well above its price point. With sources of middling output, the full potential of the E5000 will be unrealized and one will be rewarded with a rather ordinary SQ.
I personally much prefer the Be:
It is much easier to drive.
I hear more space between notes especially in the mids and upper mids.
Bass, while similar in amplitude between the two, to my ears, the Be presents the timbre of the low frequency instruments more realistically.
With the same tips on both, the Be doesn't seem to give me that "fingers-in-the-ear" impression, perhaps due to the very light weight.
For US customers, warranty service, if needed, is much more readily available from Periodic. Also, the 5 yr. warranty is unbeatable!
The E5000 does, however, have a beautiful build and cable. Given a source with adequate power, the E5000 does sound quite nice, but I found it to be considerably more source-dependent than the Be. Again, most likely due to the much lower sensitivity. Smartphones for sure do not do justice to the E5000!
I personally much prefer the Be:
It is much easier to drive.
I hear more space between notes especially in the mids and upper mids.
Bass, while similar in amplitude between the two, to my ears, the Be presents the timbre of the low frequency instruments more realistically.
With the same tips on both, the Be doesn't seem to give me that "fingers-in-the-ear" impression, perhaps due to the very light weight.
For US customers, warranty service, if needed, is much more readily available from Periodic. Also, the 5 yr. warranty is unbeatable!
The E5000 does, however, have a beautiful build and cable. Given a source with adequate power, the E5000 does sound quite nice, but I found it to be considerably more source-dependent than the Be. Again, most likely due to the much lower sensitivity. Smartphones for sure do not do justice to the E5000!
I agree with those notes, although when considering the two, I also have to consider comfort, which while great on BE, is better on E5000. E5000 sits better in the ear, smaller body, better tips ex-factory (you can add spinfit to BE for better comfort as well)
Then, there is the leaking issue. E5000 leaks quite a bit. This is not something most people notice, and as far as I can tell it is much more one-way than both-ways, much more sound goes out than it comes in, so you get quite a bit of noise going out of them and into your surroundings. With BE I haven't noticed this to be an issue. Absolutely not a big issue anyways
From the two, I think the tonal balance is a little different as well. Powering both from a really good source, E5000 has that added naturalness and power / thickness / fullness to its sound.
BE sounds amazing already, and I agree that it has a bit more space and maybe a slightly better PRaT, and it is easier to drive for sure when compared to E5000. The choice is not easy here though, E5000 also has a lot going on for it.
For absolute bass experience, E5000 is probably the thicker / fuller / more satisfying one, but it really asks for a good source, where BE is easier to drive from most portables, has less leakage, and it sounds pretty natural as well, just less thick and less warm.
Actually the new Periodic Carbon which I am now evaluating is much closer to the E5000 than is the Be. The Carbon is warmer and does require more power to drive than the Be. It is very smooth and is much more to the musical side than analytical. The housing and cable are identical to the other models in the Periodic lineup except that the end-cap is charcoal in color. Absolutely black background.
As far as scaling up, it would be most noticeable when using sources that can readily supply plenty of instantaneous power.
As the sensitivity of the E5000 is quite low compared to most other mainstream IEM's, one will not realize its maximum potential unless the source can supply hefty current to handle transients such as kickdrums, etc. With my DX200 and Alien+ and using volumes matched as closely as possible against any competitors, I feel that my E5000 can hold its own against phones well above its price point. With sources of middling output, the full potential of the E5000 will be unrealized and one will be rewarded with a rather ordinary SQ.
I find this absolutely true. I was listening to my e5000 with a Hiby R6. WAY more dynamic than with my LG v10 phone. Then, I went balanced out of the R6 and that extra power and separation took them to new heights. Using spiral dots and a balanced cable have made it hard for me to listen to any of my other gear lately. You really need some extra power to appreciate the e5000 with their low sensitivity.
I find it a bit uncomfortable for very deep insertion, especially when compared with E3000. I use S size tips with E3000 and insert it very deep, but it still feels like the most comfortable IEMs ever. With E5000, however, I have to use the M size tips, partly because the earphone itself is a little bit larger than E3000, but mostly because the MMCX connectors would stuck there and prevent further insertion.
I guess now I can fully appreciate the way F7200 put its MMCX connectors..
I find it a bit uncomfortable for very deep insertion, especially when compared with E3000. I use S size tips with E3000 and insert it very deep, but it still feels like the most comfortable IEMs ever. With E5000, however, I have to use the M size tips, partly because the earphone itself is a little bit larger than E3000, but mostly because the MMCX connectors would stuck there and prevent further insertion.
I guess now I can fully appreciate the way F7200 put its MMCX connectors..
I find using Spriral Dots and inserting the e5000 deeply that the mmcx connector touches my ears, but it is a good thing, because it keeps them from moving or falling out. I have zero discomfort this way. With the final brand eartips, insertion was not quite as deep, and the earphones would come down at a very slight angle. It was just ok, but when walking I would occasionally lose the seal. With the Spiral Dots allowing a few millimeters deeper insertion, the fit is perfect with no loss of seal when walking, moving etc
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